Combined invalid wheel chair and walker



' Ot. 14, 1958 w. R. HUBBARD 2,855,979

COMBINED INVALID'WH'EEL CHAIR AND WALKER Filed March 22, '1957 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG; 3

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Unite States Patent CGMBINED INVALID EL CHAIR AND WALKER William R.Hubbard, Gretna, Va.

Application March 22, 1957, Serial No. 647,824

1 Claim. (Cl. 155-22) This invention relates to an improved combinedinvalid wheel chair and walker.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a more practical andefiicient device of this kind which enables an invalid to easily andcomfortably move himself back and forth from a seated position on theseat component of the device to hand-rail components of the device,which are equipped with crutch components facilitating walking of theinvalid, the hand-rail components being removable when not needed, andthe seat component having arm rests which are also removable when notneeded, the removal of the hand-rail components and of the arm restsserving to reduce the bulk and the weight of the device for storage andtransportation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a com- 'bined invalidwheel chair and walker of the character indicated, which can be made inwell-finished, rugged, and serviceable forms at relatively low cost, iseasily assembled and disassembled, and is highly satisfactory for thepurposes intended. These together with other objects and advantageswhich will become apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and inwhich:

Figure l is a side elevation of a device of the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the device;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on theplane of line 4--4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section takensubstantially on the plane of line 5-5 of Figure 1, showing in phantonlines an operative position of a foot rest.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the illustrated combined invalidwheel chair and walker, indicated generally at 10, is preferablyconstructed of round tubing of any suitable material. The devicecomprises a frame involving a pair of similar parallel spacedlongitudinal lower side members 12 and 14 having secured on their rearends resilient bumpers 16. Fixed on the forward ends of the lower sidemembers 12 and 14 are vertical sleeves 18 which have journalledtherethrough vertical spindles 20 of caster wheel assemblies, indicatedgenerally at 22, which enable steering of the device 10.

The lower longitudinal side members have fixed thereon similarupstanding frames 24 which comprise vertical rear standards 26 whichterminate at their upper ends in rearwardly extending handle portions28. The frames 24 further comprise forward standards 30 which have fixedon their upper ends rearwardly extending horizontal bars 32 which aresecured at their rear ends to intermediate portions of the rearstandards 26. An

ice

X-brace member 34 has lower ends thereof secured to intermediateportions of the longitudinal side members 12 and 14, and upper endssecured to intermediate portions of the horizontal bars 32.

A flexible back-rest panel 36 is secured at its ends to the rearstandards 26 above the bars 32. Extending between and secured at itsends to the horizontal bars 32 is a flexible seat panel 38, see Figure4.

Fixed in laterally extending relationship on the outer surfaces of therear and forward standards 26 and 30 are vertical sleeves 40, which havealigned holes 41 in their sidewalls. Inverted U-shaped verticallyadjustable arm rest assemblies 42 have depending legs 44 and 46 whichare slidably engaged in the sleeves 40, and have aligned holes in theirsidewalls which are alignable with the holes 41 in the sleeves 40, andretaining pins 48 are adapted to be engaged therethrough, and aresecured to the legs 44 and 46 by flexible chains 50.

Fixed to and rising from the side members 12 and 14 in forwardly spacedrelationship to the forward standards 30 of the frames 24 are braces 52,see Figure 3.

Indicated generally at 54 are inverted U-shaped handrail assemblieswhich comprise horizontal rails 56 located on a level above the seatpanel 38, and forward and rear depending legs 58 and 60 which aretelescopically engaged ,over the spindles 20 of the caster assemblies 22and the bosses 52, respectively. The bosses 52 have bores 53therethrough which are alignable with holes in the rear legs 60 whichare traversed by removable retaining pins 48, retained on the legs 60 bymeans of chains 50 so as to hold the hand-rail assemblies 54 in place.The forward legs 58 have secured on their laterally outward sides neartheir upper ends vertical sleeves 62 telescopically receiving thereinlegs 64 depending from opposite ends of a transverse brace bar 66,whereby lateral displacement of the hand-rail assemblies 54 is precludedwhen the device 10 is in use.

Fixed on the outer sides of the rails 56 of the handrail assemblies 54are vertical sleeves 68 which converge upwardly toward each other. Thesleeves 68 have transverse holes 69 and have secured thereto flexiblechains 50, carrying retaining pins 48. Telescopically engaged in thesleeves 68 are the legs 70 of crutch assemblies 71, which havehorizontal members 72 positionable be neath the armpits of an invalidusing the device 10 for walking or standing. The legs 70 have extendingtransversely therethrough longitudinally spaced holes 74 engageable bythe pins 48 for holding the crutch assemblies in vertically adjustedpositions on the hand-rail assemblies 54.

Journalled on the longitudinal side members 12 and 14 between the bosses52 and the caster wheel assemblies 22, are foot rest plates 76 which maybe swung laterally inwardly from the full-line positions of Figure 5 tothe operative phantom line positions, shown in Figure 5, so that aninvalid seated in the device 10 can rest his feet on the plates 76. Theplates 76 have on one end sleeves 78 journalled on the sidemembers 12and 14, and have therein diametrically opposed arcuate slots 80 throughwhich transverse retaining pins 82 extend, which limit the plates 76 torotations of degrees.

Secured to and extending between intermediate portions of the forwardand rear standards 26 and 30 of the frames 24 are horizontal brace bars84, which have on their rear ends laterally outwardly extending stubshafts 86, on which are journalled conventional groundengaging handwheels, indicated generally at 88.

Fixed on and extending laterally outwardly from the side members 12 and14 near the forward standards 30 of the frames 24, are horizontal shafts90 on Whose outer ends are pivoted, as indicated at 92, intermediateportions of vertical brake levers 94. The brake levers 94 have lowerrearwardly and downwardly angulated. portions 96 terminating inlaterally outwardly extending brake shoes 98 which are engageable withthe hand wheels 88. Thesleversz 94 further comprise upper portions 100to which are. secured flexible. cables 101 and 102.. The. upper ends; ofthe cables 101 and 102 are. securedv to a ring 104 which may beconviently: engaged over the upper ends ofthe sleeves 68 into which the.legs of the crutch assemblies. are engaged. trained around oppositesides of .the. forward standards 30, so that when upper portions of thecables are pulled by an invalid using the device 10 the. leversv 9.4 areswung in directions to apply or remove thebrake shoes 98v from the handwheels 88. The upper ends. of the cables 101 and 102 are convenientlylocated adjacent the hands. of an invalid using the. device 10 so. thatthey can be. operated while the invalid is in a. seated or in a standingposition and using. the hand-rail assemblies 42.

Secured. at their opposite ends to the front standards 30 andintermediate portions of the brace bars 84 are horizontal brackets: 106which are, at the laterally outward sides of the upper portions of the.brake levers 94, and. have therealong notches 108 in which intermediateportions 100 of the levers 94 are engageable to hold the levers 94' inbraking positions or in released, positions.

The. foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readilyoccur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit theinvention to the exact construction shown and described, and.accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as, follows:

In a combined invalid wheel chair and walker, a frame assemblycomprising a pair of laterally spaced horizontal longitudinal sidemembers having forward and rear ends, frames fixed on and rising fromintermediate portions of said side. members comprising forward and rearstandards,

Thecables 1.01 and 102 are said. rear standards havinz upper portionsrisinx above the forward standards, horizontal bars extending betweenand fixed to said forward standards at their upper ends and intermediateportions of the rear standards, brace means spacing and connecting theside members and said frames, a flexible seat panel extending betweenand secured at its ends to the horizontal bars, a flexible backrestpanel extending between and secured at its ends to the rear standardsabove said horizontal longitudinal bars, caster wheel assembliesconnected on and depending from the forward ends of said longitudinalside members, and ground-engaging handwheels mounted on portions on saidframes, spindles on and rising from said longitudinal side members atthe forward ends thereof, bosses on and rising from the longitudinalside members in the regions of the forward standards of said frames, andinverted U-shaped hand-rail assemblies having forward legs removably andsupportably engaged with said spindles and rear legs removably andsupportablyengaged with said bosses.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.164,662 Adams Oct. 2, 195.1

333,414 Holden Dec. 29, 1885 2,129,260 Bowser Sept. 6, 1938 2,201,261Frey May 21, 1940 2,269,918 Sill Jan. 13, 1942 2,426,451 Hammack Aug.26, 1947 2,433,969 Wood Jan. 6, 1948 2,592,405 Everest et al. Apr. 8,1952 2,619,152 Lane Nov. 25, 1952 2,649,309 Deissner Aug. 18, 19532,782,870 Sill Feb. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 598,000 France Sept. 14,1925 1,092,533 France Nov. 10, 1954.

